Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version They stoop and bow down together; unable to rescue the burden, they themselves go off into captivity. New Living Translation Both the idols and their owners are bowed down. The gods cannot protect the people, and the people cannot protect the gods. They go off into captivity together. English Standard Version They stoop; they bow down together; they cannot save the burden, but themselves go into captivity. Berean Standard Bible The gods cower; they crouch together, unable to relieve the burden; but they themselves go into captivity. King James Bible They stoop, they bow down together; they could not deliver the burden, but themselves are gone into captivity. New King James Version They stoop, they bow down together; They could not deliver the burden, But have themselves gone into captivity. New American Standard Bible They stooped over, they have bowed down together; They could not rescue the burden, But have themselves gone into captivity. NASB 1995 They stooped over, they have bowed down together; They could not rescue the burden, But have themselves gone into captivity. NASB 1977 They stooped over, they have bowed down together; They could not rescue the burden, But have themselves gone into captivity. Legacy Standard Bible They stooped over, they have bowed down together; They could not rescue the load, But have themselves gone into captivity. Amplified Bible They stooped over, they have bowed down together; They could not rescue the burden [of their own idols], But have themselves gone into captivity. Christian Standard Bible The gods cower; they crouch together; they are not able to rescue the burden, but they themselves go into captivity. Holman Christian Standard Bible The gods cower; they crouch together; they are not able to rescue the burden, but they themselves go into captivity.” American Standard Version They stoop, they bow down together; they could not deliver the burden, but themselves are gone into captivity. Contemporary English Version They are down on their knees to rescue the heavy load, but the images are still taken to a foreign country. English Revised Version They stoop, they bow down together; they could not deliver the burden, but themselves are gone into captivity. GOD'S WORD® Translation These gods stoop low and bow down together. They aren't able to escape with heavy loads. They go away into captivity. Good News Translation The idols cannot save themselves; they are captured and carried away. This is the end for Babylon's gods! International Standard Version They stoop, they bow down together, and they are not able to rescue the burden, but they themselves go off into captivity. Majority Standard Bible The gods cower; they crouch together, unable to relieve the burden; but they themselves go into captivity. NET Bible Together they bend low and kneel down; they are unable to rescue the images; they themselves head off into captivity. New Heart English Bible They stoop, they bow down together; they could not deliver the burden, but they have gone into captivity. Webster's Bible Translation They stoop, they bow down together; they could not deliver the burden, but themselves have gone into captivity. World English Bible They stoop and they bow down together. They could not deliver the burden, but they have gone into captivity. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionThey have stooped, they have bowed together, "" They have not been able to deliver the burden, "" And have gone into captivity themselves. Young's Literal Translation They have stooped, they have bowed together, They have not been able to deliver the burden, And themselves into captivity have gone. Smith's Literal Translation They bowed down, they bent together; they were not able to deliver the burden and their soul went into captivity. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleThey are consumed, and are broken together: they could not save him that carried them, and they themselves shall go into captivity. Catholic Public Domain Version They have been melted down, or have been smashed together. They were not able to save the one who carried them, and their life will go into captivity. New American Bible They stoop and bow down together; unable to deliver those who bear them, they too go into captivity. New Revised Standard Version They stoop, they bow down together; they cannot save the burden, but themselves go into captivity. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleThey were overthrown, they have fallen down together; they could not rescue those who carried them, but they themselves are gone into captivity. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated They stumbled and they fell as one, and they were not able to deliver their bearers, and their souls went on into captivity OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917They stoop, they bow down together, They could not deliver the burden; And themselves are gone into captivity. Brenton Septuagint Translation who will not be able to save themselves from war, but they themselves are led away captive. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Babylon's Idols1Bel crouches; Nebo cowers. Their idols weigh down beasts and cattle. The images you carry are burdensome, a load to the weary animal. 2The gods cower; they crouch together, unable to relieve the burden; but they themselves go into captivity. 3“Listen to Me, O house of Jacob, all the remnant of the house of Israel, who have been sustained from the womb, carried along since birth.… Cross References Jeremiah 50:2 “Announce and declare to the nations; lift up a banner and proclaim it; hold nothing back when you say, ‘Babylon is captured; Bel is put to shame; Marduk is shattered, her images are disgraced, her idols are broken in pieces.’ Jeremiah 51:44 I will punish Bel in Babylon. I will make him spew out what he swallowed. The nations will no longer stream to him; even the wall of Babylon will fall. Jeremiah 51:47 Therefore, behold, the days are coming when I will punish the idols of Babylon. Her entire land will suffer shame, and all her slain will lie fallen within her. Jeremiah 51:52-53 “Therefore, behold, the days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will punish her idols, and throughout her land the wounded will groan. / Even if Babylon ascends to the heavens and fortifies her lofty stronghold, the destroyers I send will come against her,” declares the LORD. Jeremiah 50:18 Therefore this is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: “I will punish the king of Babylon and his land as I punished the king of Assyria. Jeremiah 50:35-37 A sword is against the Chaldeans, declares the LORD, against those who live in Babylon, and against her officials and wise men. / A sword is against her false prophets, and they will become fools. A sword is against her warriors, and they will be filled with terror. / A sword is against her horses and chariots and against all the foreigners in her midst, and they will become like women. A sword is against her treasuries, and they will be plundered. Jeremiah 51:57 I will make her princes and wise men drunk, along with her governors, officials, and warriors. Then they will fall asleep forever and not wake up,” declares the King, whose name is the LORD of Hosts. Jeremiah 50:31-32 “Behold, I am against you, O arrogant one,” declares the Lord GOD of Hosts, “for your day has come, the time when I will punish you. / The arrogant one will stumble and fall with no one to pick him up. And I will kindle a fire in his cities to consume all those around him.” Jeremiah 51:25-26 “Behold, I am against you, O destroying mountain, you who devastate the whole earth, declares the LORD. I will stretch out My hand against you; I will roll you over the cliffs and turn you into a charred mountain. / No one shall retrieve from you a cornerstone or a foundation stone, because you will become desolate forever,” declares the LORD. Jeremiah 51:64 Then you are to say, ‘In the same way Babylon will sink and never rise again, because of the disaster I will bring upon her. And her people will grow weary.’” Here end the words of Jeremiah. Revelation 18:2 And he cried out in a mighty voice: “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a lair for demons and a haunt for every unclean spirit, every unclean bird, and every detestable beast. Revelation 18:10 In fear of her torment, they will stand at a distance and cry out: “Woe, woe to the great city, the mighty city of Babylon! For in a single hour your judgment has come.” Revelation 18:21 Then a mighty angel picked up a stone the size of a great millstone and cast it into the sea, saying: “With such violence the great city of Babylon will be cast down, never to be seen again. Revelation 14:8 Then a second angel followed, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, who has made all the nations drink the wine of the passion of her immorality.” Revelation 16:19 The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations collapsed. And God remembered Babylon the great and gave her the cup of the wine of the fury of His wrath. Treasury of Scripture They stoop, they bow down together; they could not deliver the burden, but themselves are gone into captivity. they could Isaiah 36:18,19 Isaiah 37:12,19 Isaiah 44:17 but Judges 18:17,18,24 2 Samuel 5:21 Jeremiah 43:12,13 themselves are. Jump to Previous Able Bend Bent Bow Bowed Burden Captivity Deliver Falling Images Prisoner Rescue Safe Save Stoop Stooped Themselves Together UnableJump to Next Able Bend Bent Bow Bowed Burden Captivity Deliver Falling Images Prisoner Rescue Safe Save Stoop Stooped Themselves Together UnableIsaiah 46 1. The idols of Babylon could not save themselves3. God saves his people to the end 5. Idols are not comparable to God for power 12. Or present salvation. The gods cower; This phrase highlights the impotence of the Babylonian gods, such as Bel and Nebo, who were prominent deities in Babylonian culture. In the context of Isaiah, these gods are depicted as powerless and unable to protect their people. This imagery contrasts with the power and sovereignty of the God of Israel, who is not subject to human limitations. The cowering of the gods symbolizes the failure of idolatry and the futility of relying on false gods. This theme is echoed in other scriptures, such as Psalm 115:4-8, which describes idols as having mouths but not speaking, and ears but not hearing. they crouch together, unable to relieve the burden; but they themselves go into captivity. Persons / Places / Events 1. BabylonA powerful empire known for its idolatry and oppression of Israel. In this context, Babylon's gods are depicted as powerless. 2. Bel and Nebo Babylonian deities mentioned earlier in Isaiah 46:1, representing the false gods that the Babylonians worshipped. 3. Isaiah The prophet who conveyed God's messages to Israel, warning them of judgment and offering hope for redemption. 4. Israel The chosen people of God, often warned against idolatry and encouraged to trust in the Lord. 5. Captivity Refers to the Babylonian exile, a period when the Israelites were taken captive due to their disobedience to God. Teaching Points The Futility of IdolatryIdols, whether ancient deities or modern-day equivalents, cannot save or sustain us. We must place our trust in the living God. God's Sovereignty Despite the apparent power of earthly empires, God remains in control and will bring about His purposes. The Burden of False Worship Idolatry is a burden that leads to captivity, both spiritually and physically. True freedom is found in worshiping God alone. The Call to Repentance Like Israel, we are called to turn away from idols and return to God, who is able to save and deliver. Hope in God's Deliverance Even in times of captivity or hardship, God promises deliverance and restoration for those who trust in Him.(2) They could not deliver the burden.--The deities are, for the moment, distinguished from their images. They are powerless to rescue them. So far as they have a soul or being at all, that very being is carried away captive.Verse 2. - They stoop, they bow down together; i.e. all the Babylonian gods would suffer equally - not one would be able to protect himself. They could not deliver the burden. A distinction is here made between the god and the idol, which have hitherto been identified. The god was, in each case, unable to deliver, or save from capture, the heavy "burden" of gold, or silver, or bronze (i.e. his own image) which was carried off on the back of the "weary beast." On the contrary, the gods themselves - the "souls" of the images, immanent in them - were carried off with the images into captivity. Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew The gods cower;קָרְס֤וּ (qā·rə·sū) Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural Strong's 7164: To bend down, stoop, crouch they crouch כָֽרְעוּ֙ (ḵā·rə·‘ū) Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural Strong's 3766: To bend the knee, to sink, to prostrate together, יַחְדָּ֔ו (yaḥ·dāw) Adverb Strong's 3162: A unit, unitedly unable יָכְל֖וּ (yā·ḵə·lū) Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural Strong's 3201: To be able, have power to relieve מַלֵּ֣ט (mal·lêṭ) Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct Strong's 4422: To be smooth, to escape, to release, rescue, to bring forth young, emit sparks the burden; מַשָּׂ֑א (maś·śā) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 4853: A burden, tribute, porterage, an utterance, chiefly a, doom, singing, mental, desire but they וְנַפְשָׁ֖ם (wə·nap̄·šām) Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine plural Strong's 5315: A soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, passion, appetite, emotion themselves go הָלָֽכָה׃ (hā·lā·ḵāh) Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk into captivity. בַּשְּׁבִ֥י (baš·šə·ḇî) Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 7628: Exiled, captured, exile, booty Links Isaiah 46:2 NIVIsaiah 46:2 NLT Isaiah 46:2 ESV Isaiah 46:2 NASB Isaiah 46:2 KJV Isaiah 46:2 BibleApps.com Isaiah 46:2 Biblia Paralela Isaiah 46:2 Chinese Bible Isaiah 46:2 French Bible Isaiah 46:2 Catholic Bible OT Prophets: Isaiah 46:2 They stoop they bow down together (Isa Isi Is) |